President Fidel V. Ramos, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and other members of the Cabinet, Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps, Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa, Undersecretary Catalino Cuy, the officers and men and women of the Philippine National Police, my fellow workers in government, my beloved countrymen.

I’d like—before I forget, my warmest congratulations, felicitations to the awardees today, this afternoon. And I would like you to know that I’m greatly gratified by your work you have shown. Salamat po sa inyo. (applause)

Now, along the way, upon my assumption, I had to do something—things here inside the PNP because I had to do it. I had no recourse, but it was a call of duty and nothing personal. And I hope that everybody here could understand that. You know, the fight against crime and criminality are eternal—the fight is eternal rather. Because in every generation and every body politic, wherever there is a government, congregation of men, human beings, we would have problems about establishing law and order.

In the Philippines, we are no—Filipinos are no exemption. We have had our share of our agony and misery. In my generation, especially now, we have seen our country devastated by drugs. And it has not only affected millions, but a lot of them are no longer viable as human beings in this planet.

You know, about two years ago, PDEA came out with the statistics that there are about three million plus Filipinos already affected with drugs. And if you just compute by incremental increase, put it at a very liberal rate, let us say 700, so you have about 3,000,700 Filipinos who are dependent on drugs. And what is really very unsettling is that a year or more of shabu use would shrink the brain of a person, and therefore he is no longer viable for rehabilitation.

Unlike the poppy derivatives, the heroin and cocaine, they are all grown from an organic plant that is the poppy, but meth is something else. It is a deadly mix of chemicals, and even the water used in mixing the shabu itself uses the battery, the acid water of a battery we use to fill up a battery, to run our motor vehicles. And that is why I hope everybody should understand that. And once in a while, we see a lot of ranting about human rights in my campaign against drugs. Let me be frank with you this afternoon. The fight against drug will continue and unrelenting until we have destroyed the apparatus offering in the entire country. (applause)

Let me be a lawyer for a moment. A lot of bleeding hearts, including senators of this republic are complaining about the death rate in the fight against drug. And by last counting, they say, it’s about 1,000. Well, you know, place it at a very, I said, conservative estimate. Let us now say that there are about 400 drug addicts no longer eligible for rehabilitation for they are really crazy and out of their senses and no longer have the cognitive value of their person or their talent. So what do we do with it? We’ve about 300 dead living Filipinos?

You know, it’s very easy to complain. We, in government and I myself who ordered the campaign against drug take full and sole responsibility for it. And for those who are killed in a police operation and a firefight, we are willing to submit ourselves for an investigation before anybody. And I would like also to just say, why would the United Nations be so easy to be swayed into interfering in the affairs of this Republic.

There are about just 1,000. There are a lot of people: innocent women, child, young women, young men, old men, old women being killed elsewhere in this world without even seeing the slightest justice.

Take for example in the Middle East, I have yet to complain the United Nations complaining publicly, even not criticizing the countries who are into it and bombing villages and the communities, killing everybody there including the goats and the cows, and dogs. I have yet to complain the UN President state publicly over and over again, because of the laws of the lives of innocent people.

That is the problem. And here comes the UN easily swayed and coming on a very stupid proposition …, you know, for those who are killed by the drug syndicates, we can only investigate, but do not attribute the acts of other criminals upon my government. The easiest way of really just being into politics. And here is a senator complaining when one day I will tell you that the—her driver herself who was her lover, was the one also collecting money for her during the campaign. (applause)

Here is an immoral woman flaunting—well, of course, insofar as the wife of the driver was concerned, it’s adultery. Here is a woman who funded the house of her lover, and yet we do not see any complaint about it. Those money came readily from her. The intercept between Muntinlupa and the driver were far beyond, making sure that somebody was involved. But in fairness, I would never state here that the driver gave the money to her. But by the looks of it, she has it. Ayan ang nagpahirap dito eh, namumulitika pa, posturing, when you yourself has a very sordid personal, unofficial life.

I will show to you, I have the CD since you first investigated me in Davao for human rights violation. Before the press, entering the hotel lobby, she said, “I will prove that Duterte is connected with the DDS, the Davao Death Squad.” Until now, she keeps on yakking, and she has forgotten that tape which I had recorded. I would like her to eat it in my presence, but I cannot do it because it is not an accepted, edible food for human beings.

What’s the problem? We inject politics? Only 1,000 died, and you put my country in peril, in jeopardy for the 600 now lives wasted, destroyed, families broken, children left, husband and wife together with so many orphans whose parents are alive. Iyan ang pinakamahirap dito sa bayan na ‘to. And frankly, one of the things that really prompted me was at the urgings of President Ramos, because he himself, as a matter of fact, knew what was going on. He came to me repeatedly and said, “You run so that you’ll have a President from Mindanao and one who can save this nation.”

The President is here, you can ask him. Long before we started the campaign, we already knew what was wrong with the PNP. And I had the— that’s why, I had to do something about it. As President, I could not have started my administration with a corrupt Philippine National Police.

Eh, alam mo, when I was mayor – and you can ask anybody, anybody for that matter, Davao City was one place where the police, during my time, was protected if they were in the performance of their duties. Once they were disciplined, and suspended, I had to pay for the basic salary, the take home pay, so that the family will not go hungry.

I provided a lawyer, and as a matter of fact, I intervened actively. I will not elaborate on it, if I feel that they would be wrongly accused and maybe sent to prison for no reason at all. There was a time when about 27 of the best officers, they are in these halls today, were ordered dismissed and practically went into a rebellion, and said to the Manila government, this decision was not acceptable to me at all.

And I stood my path, and I insisted. And that is why Davao City progressed tremendously, progressively because of the police and the military who gave me their full support. So in return, what can I do for you, my dear policemen, police officers? I have increased your salaries. You are the first, double your present salary by December, you have gotten the full. (applause)

And I included the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PDEA, (applause) same working and gambling with their lives facing criminals. The Philippines is not in its best law and order situation. We’re facing so many fronts, and facing the Communist Party of the Philippines, and I am talking.

We are facing an insurrection, Muslim insurgency in Mindanao. I am talking with the MI and the MN. I tried desperately to talk sense to the Abu Sayyaf, but they refused, so there’s no other way—is to destroy them. I have gone out of my way to make the Philippines safe again. I won by a sheer majority of 6 million, which until today appalls me because I really do not know how I got the 15 million with a 6 million majority from the next neighbor.

So, I could only think of the many things that I said, but most importantly, I would say that what prompted the audience, the Filipino nation take notice of what was coming in or out my mouth was this: I will give you a clean government, and it will be so, and it will be done (applause).

I promised them I will suppress crime and take control of the drug situation, which was really running wild in our country today. Make no mistake about it. I repeat again for all—everybody’s consumption: Do not kill if you are not in danger of losing your life. But in effecting an arrest, when there is a violent resistance because in effecting an arrest, you have to overcome the guy to bring him to the folds of the law, if you cannot bring him to the police station, if you could not place him under the control of the law because that is your job to arrest, which is your job to arrest, which means to overcome the resistance, but if the resistance is violent, thereby placing your life in jeopardy, shoot and shoot him dead. Can I be more clearer than that?

Now, we are trying to fix everything. We do not want war. We cannot build a nation over the bones of our people, our citizens. But at the time when it calls for an action to protect the entire nation, especially the young, I have placed myself at stake. I said before and I will say it again, and again, and again until this statement goes into the mind of those who are listening including the senators. I place my honor, my life and even losing the presidency. Just, as I said, be careful with me because when I say I will do it for my country, I will do it even if I have to kill you or be killed in the process.

I will not allow anybody to destroy my country. I will not allow anybody to destroy the next generation—of what good will it be to ask when I am already old and my children or the children’s children are gone berserk and crazy? Who will spoon-feed me with my food when I am old? Who will buy the medicines for me? I am not rich. Who will pay the hospital bills for me? My children. And if you destroy my children, you shall have destroyed me well in advance. That is the thing that I would never, never allow to happen in my country during my watch. (applause)

Now, I’d like to go back what I want to do to you. I want to be strict. I want this government, this organization to be clean. And I expect that every money to run the organization will reach down to the precinct level.

There are things which I would like to say, but better said among us. But I said I have appointed men of goodwill who will see to it that the money intended down to the last patrolman there on the street will have its share of the operations of the Philippine National Police. I would never countenance graft and corruption, not this time. For those of you who are used to it, then wait for another six years. These six years would really be something which we have to work on honestly between us, between your President and yourself. But I will support you. Do not worry about cases. I will give you the lawyer.

Do not be intimidated about statements of the United Nations. You know, United Nations, you can only investigate genocide when you kill without giving a hoot if you’re killing the children, the whole community. You bomb there, that is genocide. But when you kill criminals who fight with you and criminals who fight amongst themselves, that is the least of our duty. But we will answer. For every incident there that involves the killing of a human being, whether it is really connected with the fulfillment of a duty of the police or not, have it investigated by the IAS or by the CIDG, and the investigating arms of the organization. That way, we can be transparent to everybody. And when I really do not know who’s going to come here with the—I would like to whack him in the head. If somebody wrongdoer would come here just investigating for nonsense. Do not investigate us as if we are criminals when the police do their duty. No, no, do not do that. Don’t ever do that. I would not receive you warmly in this country, but if you come here to explain or maybe to the UN about the happenings of criminals who kill themselves, for being killed because many persons have been waiting for this time. Those who lost their sons and daughters to drugs, maybe they saw it fit this time to take the sweet revenge that they have been longing for.

Me, for example, if I were an ordinary citizen, and I’ve lost my daughter to drugs, she gets pregnant five times a year, she’s despoiled because of drugs; I’ve lost my son and another son, bullshit, I will kill you. I will kill you. I will take the law into my own hands. I will not ache stepping down. Forget about the laws of men, forget about the laws of international law, whatever. I’ll just ask you simply, the eternal justice that rants this universe.

But what right do you have to cook shabu and feed it to my children to make them crazy and become useless forever? Who gave you the right in this universe, in this planet to rape my one-year-old daughter, to kill a six-year old son, to despoil the body of my son and daughter? Because you were under the influence of shabu, which makes you crazy.

Of the first 600—nearing 600 now, safely I would say there are about 200 who are already permanently crazy. I would need an assylum for the insane to house all those thousands of them. I would need the military spaces. Instead of just, you know allowing the military to go about their thing unbriddled, undisturbed, I have asked the military because they have the reservations, the biggest ones, of course, to give space so that I can start the building of rehab centers all over the country. I’m just waiting for the kind help of our neighbor who was willing to help us. That is my problem, that is my burden. But I said, over and above all these things, I hold it as an article of faith that we can never progress, we can never develop until there is law and order in these islands, Mindanao especially, it’s a very fertile land.

The NPAs are there collecting taxes without let up, then we have the sporadic and intermittent killings of the Moro rebels on government. I have to go to Cotabato tomorrow again to visit the wounded and the two soldiers who were killed last week. From here, I go to Taguig, to the Naval station because there is a navy man there who died in action about four days ago. Those are the pitfalls; those are the wages we have to pay because we cannot have peace in this land. And that is why a bulk of my effort would really be to seek peace with everybody.

And you, I promised you, the PNP, the rank-and-file, you will have your salaries doubled, then I would offer free education from kindergarten to high school. (applause) Well, when they reach college, you know, there are those who are gifted by God, I am not one of them who have—really the bright—and they can go and pursue, we can have the scholarship. But for those who do not want to study like me before, who seems to be resistant to good education, well, we can always have the technical and we will have the help of many of our Asian brother nations, China for example, Japan; Taipei is also one of those, and Thailand, everybody.

But China has offered us well in advance to help us training in agriculture. So I’d like to thank you and we have the United Nations helping us in all efforts of humanitarian efforts. So, we’d like to thank you, the donor of these countries, Canada and everybody for helping my country.

In return, may I just be allowed to say that do not be afraid to invest in the Philippines, whether as a help or by assistance or business investments. Come here, there will be no hanky panky, no asking for tips and everything. All you have to do is to tell me, call me, there’s a number and I will do the processing myself for you, and we’ll give you the paper with you just sitting down. (applause)

And I promise you that anybody, even a whisper, even a whisper, do not ever think about it because even a whisper can get you into trouble. That is how serious I am because that is what the people expected of me.

Thank you and good afternoon. applause)